TSC to revoke principal’s transfer in dispute with school board

TSC to revoke principal’s transfer in dispute with school board

TSC to revoke principal’s transfer in dispute with school board

Regarding the transfer of Jenipher Otolo, the chief principal of Ogande Girls High School in Homa Bay County, the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) and the school’s board of management have been at odds.In contrast to the school board of management, Simon Onyango, the ACK Bishop of the Southern Nyanza Diocese, has recommended Ms. Otolo’s transfer.

Ms. Otolo was transferred to Vihiga County’s Mudavadi Girls High School.However, Rev. Onyango contended in a letter to Nancy Macharia, Secretary of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), that Ms. Otolo’s transfer was carried out without the necessary and appropriate consultation with the ACK, the school sponsor.He maintained that the board did not consider the purported request for Ms. Otolo’s transfer made by the school Board of Management to the TSC.

“The purported request by the board of management of the school to have her transferred was never discussed by the Board of Management in any meeting. The resolution is therefore null and void,” Rev Onyango wrote.He argued that the proposed replacement of Ms Otolo would lead to a situation in which the school may have a principal who subscribes to a different faith.

He voiced concern that the school would go in an unknown direction under the new principal.The letter said, partially, that “her proposed replacement prescribes to a different faith, and the church, having not been consulted, may not be sure of the religious tradition and direction she may take the school to.”

Rev Onyango appealed to the TSC to revoke Ms Otolo’s transfer.“We therefore request that the transfer be revoked immediately and the status quo maintained,” he wrote.In what signifies battles between the church and the school Board of Management leadership, Bishop Onyango requested the school BoM chairman be ousted. After the ouster, the Bishop should take over the leadership as the BoM chairman.

“I seek your support to have the chair of the board replaced by the Diocesan Bishop and the status quo maintained,” Rev Onyango added.The Bishop also wants the TSC to consult the ACK church as the sponsor whenever it is making changes in the school management.

He said that as the principal was in charge of building an Ida Odinga library and resource center that would cost millions of schillings, her relocation should not have happened.”To the delight of the stakeholders, she has performed admirably in the school. Her Excellency Oda Odinga is sponsoring a multimillion-shilling Ida Odinga library, which she is currently in charge of finishing,” Onyango said.